KOTA BARU: The government has given an assurance that supplies of sugar will be sufficient for Hari Raya Aidiladha.

Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub said the current demand for sugar was 42,000 tonnes a month.

He said to prevent the hoarding or profiteering of sugar, the ministry launched Op Manis 2.0, which would go on until June 30.

"I have briefed the ministry. I told them to be more active and aggressive in ensuring the supply of coarse and refined sugar in the market," Salahuddin said after launching the Retail Digitalisation (REDI) initiative and Menu Rahmah at the Siti Khadijah wet market here today.

Present were his deputy, Fuziah Salleh, and ministry secretary-general Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof.

Salahuddin said there should be a problem if anyone wants to sell premium sugar but they must ensure that the supply of subsidised sugar is sufficient.

"The ministry is ready to see and engage and God willing, during this festive season, there will be no reduction in the supply of sugar nationwide," he said.

On the REDI initiative, Salahuddin said more than 12,000 traders in the country had registered for the programme.

"In Kelantan alone, about 1,500 people have registered for the initiative. Hopefully, we can achieve our target in getting between 25,000 to 30,000 traders to register by the year's end," he added.

He also hoped the ministry's officers at all states will encourage more traders to register for the initiative because it would expand their businesses.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/06/918635/enough-sugar-aidiladha-says-salahuddin